When the Sun Gets In Your Eyes
by Lelila
Summary: Han goes to visit Leia after she is wounded, and has a revelation...


DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and its characters and universe are the property of Lucasfilm LTD., and I make no claim to them. This story is purely for the enjoyment of the reader and the author, and no money is to be exchanged with regards to this short story. Please do not post this story anywhere without express permission of the author, and without this disclaimer attached. All questions and comments can be sent to No flames please:) 

When the Sun Gets In Your Eyes   
by Lelila

Han stabbed at the datapad in frustration; no matter what he tried, he simply could not get all the ships the Alliance had brought with them to fit into the clearing they had made. They'd just gotten into Rykal yesterday, and there was only one building standing, a small barracks. Most of the Alliance members were still bedding down in tents or in their ships. Han had actually slept outside last night; he'd claimed it was because he'd wanted to keep an eye out for the wild animals that were said to inhabit the place - the truth of the matter was he just wanted to enjoy the pleasant weather. He had to admit; of all the rocks the Alliance had been on in the year since he'd been with them, Han liked the climate on this one best. Not too hot in the daytime, not too cold at night, and the breeze was always warm. Oh, and rain came at reasonable intervals, say, once every 10 days or so. At least, that's what he'd been told. It hadn't rained since they'd been there.

A loud CRASH started Han from his musings. Whipping around, he found that one of the walls in the building that was currently being set up had fallen. Han tossed the pad onto the gangplank of the ship he'd been standing next to and sprinted over to the site, only to find people scattering and dust settling. Then the shout went up, "There's someone under there!"

Han immediately spotted the slim arm and leg peeking out from under the fallen wall, and felt his heart drop into his boots. Without stopping to rationalize the feeling, he dove in and starting trying to pick the wall up far enough so someone could fish the victim out.

His worst feelings were confirmed when an unconscious Princess Leia was retrieved from beneath the section of wall. Han barked at a bystander to get the one human doctor the Alliance had with them. But just as the kid took off, Leia opened her eyes, groaned, and tried to sit up. Han felt his heart start to beat again. He dropped to his knees beside her, pushing her back to the ground. "Shhhhh, stay put, Princess, till the doc can get a look at you."

"What happened?" she asked in a pained voice.

"The wall collapsed," one of the other workers chimed in.

"You've gotta be quicker, Princess," Han cracked, and was pleased to see her roll her eyes in exasperation.

Han meandered the halls of the pre-fab barracks, trying to locate Leia's quarters. The doctor said she only had some cuts and bruises, and a bump on the head, and since the med unit wasn't really set up yet, Leia should just go back to her quarters and rest until she could be examined properly. That had been about six hours ago. It was now time for dinner, and, after consulting with the doctor, he had thought to take some rations to the wounded Princess.

WHY, exactly, he had thought to do this, he really didn't know. He suspected it had something to do with the way the accident had affected him. His emotional reaction had been pre-occupying him all day. Yeah, he cared about her, he guessed, but something about the way his adrenal glands had overreacted just didn't sit right with him.

He shook his head clear as he finally found the door. He rapped gently, and got no answer. After repeating the action twice and still receiving no reply, he tried the door.

It came open easily. Han wondered if there even was a lock on this door, but didn't bother to look. He took one step into the small room, and was stopped dead in his tracks.

Sunlight streamed into the room, warming it and giving it a comfortable, inviting feel. But what had stopped Han was the vision of the Princess. Dressed in a simple sleeveless shift, she lay on her cot in a semi-fetal position, her arms under her head. Her hair had been unbound, and flowed in soft waves over her shoulders and torso to end in a fan across her hips. The sunlight played across her features, casting a soft shadow under her cheekbone and catching the highlights in her hair, igniting them into a brilliant, almost metallic bronze.

Han was stunned. He felt his heartbeat quicken. The simple, graceful beauty of the young Princess had pierced him to the core. He'd always acknowledged that she was attractive, but this...this was like a spiritual experience.

As if in a trance, never taking his eyes from her, he set the rations down on the table and slowly walked toward her. His fingertips found their way into the hair that lay across her arm and soon found the soft skin underneath.

Han started as Leia shifted away from his touch. She had seemed like a ceramic doll lying there; an inert goddess that one felt reverence for but didn't expect an answer from. Her movement jolted him partially back into reality.

But not all the way back. As he sat down on her bed, he was still transfixed by her features. This time his fingers ventured their way to her face. He traced her brow line, her cheekbone, and was just about to do her lips when her eyes fluttered open. He quickly withdrew his hand.

It took her a moment to recognize him. "Han?" came the hoarse murmur.

"Shhhhhh..." he whispered, stroking a few stray hairs away from her face. She blinked at him several times, and Han noticed that her eyes had the same highlights that her hair did. They were so warm and inviting...

As if drowning in the pools that were her eyes, Han lowered his face and gently placed his lips against hers.

For a long moment, an eternity really, there was acceptance. He felt her eyes flicker shut against his cheek and her chest rise as she drew a breath.

But then the moment ended, and she shoved him away. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

The reverie died away, and reality came crashing in around his ears. "I...I..." he spluttered, unable to answer her question.

"Is there a reason you came here, Captain?"

"Yes," he answered firmly, standing up and backing away from her bed. "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some rations." He stammered on, the words catching in his throat. "And...you have a nasty bump on your head and I...I...I just wanted to make sure you were still with us."

"And that includes kissing me?"

Han heaved a sigh, and sank into the lone chair in the room. "Apparently."

Leia covered her eyes with her hand and sighed herself. For what seemed like forever, neither of them said anything. Finally she asked, "Would you shut the blinds please? The sun is in my eyes."

"Sure." Han sprang from his chair and twisted the blinds shut. Light still radiated through them, but the room lost its warm, inviting quality.

Han looked back over at the Princess, and wondered what he had been thinking before. The goddess was gone, and in her place was a hurt, disheveled and tired-looking Leia. Bossy, acerbic, pain-in-the-butt Princess Leia. Just what had happened to him?

But as a pained look crossed her features, Han felt his own stomach twist. He knew there was something more here than just the sun being in his eyes. Could he really...?

He realized suddenly that she was still holding her hand over her eyes. "Are you okay?"

She grimaced. "I have a horrible headache."

"Well, the doc gave me some pain meds you can take. But you have to eat. C'mon, sit up." He moved to her side and gently helped her, mentally pushing aside the pleasurable sensation her skin left on his fingers.

She brushed her hair out of her face. "I must look a sight."

"You've never looked better," he said totally seriously, in spite of himself. She threw him a brief withering glare, which stung him deeper than he wanted to admit. He tried again. "You were very lucky this morning." He opened the beverage pouch and produced a dose of the pain medication. "Here, take this."

Leia swallowed the pills offered and accepted the ration bar that was handed to her. "I will be very glad when we can stop living on these things," she commented.

"You and me both, Princess."

"So," she said after a few more bites. "Why did you kiss me?"

"I..." Han swallowed, unwilling to acknowledge his own feelings. "You looked like you needed it," he finally offered.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Trying to kiss my boo-boo away?"

Han had to laugh. "Something like that."

She looked up at him for the first time since he'd closed the blinds. Their gazes locked, and Han felt his breath leave him again. "You missed," she said softly. "It's up here." She gestured to a spot just above her hairline.

"I didn't know that before." Han's voice was thick in his throat. The air between them was heavy with emotion, and Han felt somewhat dizzy. He gingerly settled back on the bed, placing a hand on the bedclothes on the other side of her legs.

Searching her eyes for permission, he gently, reverently placed a kiss on the spot she had indicated. As he withdrew, their gazes met again, and Han found himself immersed in the amber pools of her eyes.

An eternity passed like that. Han could hear the blood pounding in his ears and the breath rasping in his throat. The sensations swelled to a crescendo as their faces drew closer together. Just as he thought he wasn't going to be able to stand the feelings any longer, his lips found hers. He pressed against her a touch more firmly this time, and was elated to feel her responding. A chill shot up his spine as he felt her fingers graze down his arm.

And then they parted. Leia's cheeks reddened slightly and she averted her eyes. But Han didn't want her to withdraw; he wanted to hear her voice, wanted her to react in some way. "So...how's your boo-boo now?" he ventured softly.

A soft smile graced her features. "It's already feeling better."

A warmth spread through Han's entire being, and he smiled as well.

"Thank you."

Her warm whisper caressed his ears almost as surely as her hands would have. "My pleasure." He put his hand over hers and was delighted when she turned hers over to lace her fingers with his.

But just as Han was getting comfortable with this arrangement, and was beginning to think about telling her about all the emotions that had stirred in him today, he felt her stiffen and an odd look crossed her face.

"What is it?"

"Oh, it's the meds. They make me woozy."

"Well," he patted her hand, feeling oddly relieved to find an out, "perhaps I should go so you can go back to sleep."

She looked a little disappointed, but nodded. He helped her settle into her pillows and made sure she was comfortable before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Good night," he whispered. Her only answer was a drowsy murmur.

Han turned back to look at her sleeping form one last time before he left. The goddess he had worshiped wasn't there, but the steely princess wasn't either. Something in-between had taken their places. He wasn't sure how that made him feel, but in an odd way, he seemed to like this incarnation best.

He stepped outside and looked at the setting sun, knowing that nothing could ever be as bright as the place that Princess Leia occupied in his soul.


End file.
